Times Ten
by Darling Pretty
Summary: 10 little drabbles for the 10 Songs Challenge. That's pretty self explanatory. Addison/Alex.


**so, i'm not generally one for the challenge thing, but this whole 10 Song challenge interested me. Plus I was bored, and suffering from writer's block, and this seemed like a generally good thing for me to do. plus, how else can i showcase my amazing taste in music? (okay, i'm joking about that... though i do love me some music) so anyways,**

**it's all addison/alex, because when have you ever known me to write with any variation. i may do another, just because i find this entertaining and hey, maybe i'll actually include other characters (or -gasp!- ships!). we'll see.**

**disclaimer: yeah, none of this is mine, unless you count ownership of the exact copy of the song that is sitting on my iPod.  
**

**"Trouble In Here"**

**Howie Day**

"Alex, wait. Wait," Addison pleads, tears threatening to flood her eyes.

He takes a deep breath and turns around. He's completely powerless to disobey the woman he loves. Yes, loves. Even if right now he's sending her a death glare.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm a total bitch, I know that. Don't ruin this because of one stupid comment."

"One stupid comment, Addison? Do you think that's all this is? One stupid comment? You don't think of me as an equal. That's not one stupid comment!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of that, can't you get that? You're not some lowly intern to me, Alex. I need you. Badly."

He smiles grudgingly. Maybe they have problems, and maybe they can't be fixed, but hearing that from her mouth, that makes all the difference in the world.

* * *

**"Apologize"**

**OneRepublic**

The rain drenches her hair, effectively ruining all styling that went into it early this morning. She's soaked and humiliated and there's nothing she can do about any of it.

"Addison!" her latest humiliation calls after her. She keeps walking, but he runs to catch up to her, takes a hold on her elbow, and turns her. "I didn't mean that. I just meant that-"

She takes one looks at him, now just as soaked as she is. She shakes her head. "It's too late, Alex," she says quietly and walks away.

* * *

**"Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World"**

**Israel Kamakawiwo'ole**

Only in his dreams does anything Alex ever desire actually come true. He has long since given up hope of finding happiness, settling for finding an exhaustion at the end of the day to keep him from experiencing anything else. So imagine his surprise when Addison Forbes Montgomery, the freaking girl of his dreams, leans over and kisses him. This sort of thing does not happen to Alex Karev. Ever.

But just in that moment, he experiences the world he has numbed himself to. For once, he just lets himself feel, and he kisses her back. He knows that he'll eventually have to get her away from him, and retreat back inside his shell of exhaustion. He can't keep this mirage forever, it won't last. He'll get hurt, and he's been hurt enough. Eventually he'll have to ignore the aching in his bones when she's close enough to touch, but right now he revels in his dream.

* * *

**"Falling in Love with Love"**

**Julie Andrews**

It was such a stupid thing to do. Going and falling for her stupid, manwhore intern. But he was so sweet. Addison bangs her head against the headboard. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Never again. She was blindsided by his charm, and his supposed care. She really had thought they had something. Maybe it was all a dream. A figment of her imagination. Or maybe she just fell in love with the idea of him. Yeah, that's it. She fell in love with his idea, not him.

* * *

**"Trees" **

**Marty Casey & the Lovehammers**

It has been a week since the on-call room debacle and Alex is realizing something. He hates pretending. In fact, he hates it so much, he's going to stop right now. Cold turkey. No more pretending. Not a nerve-racking prospect so much, since he tends to be pretty honest. That is until you remember a certain redheaded attending.

He hunts her down right before the end of her shift. She's just getting ready to go home and she turns at the sound of his footsteps. "Karev?" she asks. "What is it?"

He approaches her and kisses her hard, and though she struggles at first, she kisses back fiercely. "Huh?" she asks.

"I'm done pretending."

* * *

**"Tell Me Why"**

**Pat Benatar**

"Daddy?" his four year old daughter's wheedling voice asks.

"Yes?" he replies in the same tone.

"Why is the sky blue?"

He struggles with an answer for an answer for his daughter, one that won't ruin the magic. "Because somebody up in heaven decided to paint it blue."

"Oh. Thanks, Daddy!" she exclaims, perfectly content with his completely made up answer.

He turns around to see his girlfriend standing in the doorway. "The sky was painted blue, huh?" she asks when their little girl has scampered off.

"Apparently so," he replies evenly. "How long have you been standing there, Addie?"

"Not long. Now, who exactly did the painting?"

"I don't know," he replies. "But when I find out I'll be sure to thank him."

"For painting the sky?"

"For putting you here."

* * *

**"Think of Me"**

**The Phantom of the Opera**

She walks out of the hospital without saying goodbye to anyone but Callie, Bailey, and Richard. No one else seems worth it. Maybe they'll remember her, maybe they won't. Even if she cares about a certain intern's memories a little more that she would like to admit, that can be quickly rectified.

"Addison!" said intern calls after her.

"What?" she says as she whirls around. It's too difficult not to.

"Callie told me you were leaving."

"Yeah, so?"

"I just… I'll miss you."

She struggles with a small smile. "Thanks, Karev."

"Like I said… I'll notice. That you're missing, I mean."

"Uh, thanks."

"Maybe I could… uh, call you. Later. Some time."

"I, uh, sure. I'd like that." She quickly scribbles her number down on a stray napkin from her purse. Maybe he'll call, maybe he won't, but at least she knows that she's remembered.

Two weeks later, he does call and she is remembered.

* * *

**"My Heart"**

**The Perishers**

"You okay?" Alex asks as he slides down the wall to sit next to her.

She looks up with tearful eyes. "What do you care?"

He sighs. He knew that the supply closet would come back to bite him in the ass. "I care," he says.

"No you don't. You made _that _perfectly clear," Addison snaps, the hurt in her voice cutting through him like a knife. "Could you just stop playing with my emotions for fun?"

"I'm not. I care. I lied. I care," he replies in characteristically short sentences. She looks at him warily and says nothing. "I mean it," he says.

"I don't believe you."

"Good, you shouldn't."

She frowns at that. "See what I mean? I'm not a stupid toy for you to play with."

He looks her in the eyes. "I'm not playing. I've never been more serious."

"I-" she starts, but is quickly cut off by his lips on hers.

"I'm serious," he says. She nods slightly. "And I'm listening," he continues. "What's wrong?"

* * *

**"Love Remains The Same"**

**Gavin Rossdale**

It's been over three years since Addison left Seattle. Even now, she's not sure that she wants to be back, even for a day. Yet here she is, hailing a taxi to take her to the hospital.

As she hops out onto the curb and starts the semi-sprint to the lobby of the building, she bowls down none other than Alex Karev. One look at him, and she's got the old butterflies back. "Hi, uh, sorry."

"Addison! You're back," he says.

"For a little bit," she says.

"That's what you said last time," he replies. "So how are you?"

"I'm good."

"Work?"

"It's good."

"That's good."

"Yeah, it's good." A compulsive babbler, she continues. "You know, the practice in L.A. is great. I love the people there. I mean, it's not that I have a boyfriend or anything, but some of the people there are just so great, and…"

"Addison?" he says, as much as to put her out of her obvious misery as to get her attention.

"Yeah?"

"I have to do something. I should have done it a long time ago," he tells.

"Uh, okay…" She barely has time to give him a skeptical look before he's kissing her. "Oh," she breathes when he lets her go. Butterflies flying full speed ahead in her stomach. She takes a minute to sort through it all, then smiles, grabbing his shirt to pull him closer to her again.

* * *

**"After Hours"**

**We Are Scientists**

For some reason, she had agreed to drinks with Alex Karev. God only knows why. But she had and she's not one to break promises. They walk out of the hospital, and just as they walk into the opens, the heavens burst. The awkward silence that exists between them is broken as they both laugh. "Come on," he tells her, taking off his coat to hold it over her head. She feels very aware of his proximity. "My car's this way," he points. They have agreed that another bar besides Joe's would be best for this meeting, whatever it is.

"Wait," she says and ducks out from under his coat. She runs to the grass, tilts her head up to the sky, spins and laughs. She always did this as a kid during rainstorms, and now she's resurrecting the tradition.

"You're going to get pneumonia and die!" he calls after her.

"No I'm not!" she calls back. "Come on, it's fun!"

He sighs and walks over. "Now spin," she commands, and watches him until he obeys. He does so until she begins to spin, then he stops and watches her. He's spent days, weeks actually, in her company, and he still can't get over how beautiful she is, especially right now. When he's around her, time just means nothing. He can spare anything she needs.

She accidently twirls herself into him, and he automatically steadies her. She looks up at him, and smiles dizzily. He reacts naturally, and kisses her, to which she responds more eagerly that even she thought possible. "Fun, huh?" she asks breathlessly when they pull away.

"Very fun," he smirks.

* * *


End file.
